


The Curse

by Liyyah



Category: Arrow - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Bodyguard Romance, Curses, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-03
Updated: 2015-08-27
Packaged: 2018-04-12 20:11:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4493118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liyyah/pseuds/Liyyah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver Queen is Princess Felicity's personal guard. Eventually, they begin having feelings for each other. Throw a curse into the mix and really, is there any way this can end well?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It Started at the Fair

**Author's Note:**

> This whole fic was inspired by the line "She will be like air. Like knowing how to breathe." from the book The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh.

**_She will be like air. Like knowing how to breathe._ **

 

When Oliver was fifteen years old, he had been dragged to the village fair by his best friend who had the idiotic idea that it would be fun.

“It’s not like we have anything better to do,” Tommy declared, shielding his eyes from the sun.

“Or I could just continue to beat your ass,” Oliver suggested with a smug smile as he wielded the cheap sword he had made himself.

“I let you win,” Tommy insisted, his usual proclamation.

“Four times?” Oliver grinned before Tommy lunged at him.

But just like the previous times, Oliver saw it coming. He immediately deflected the other boy’s attack, the sound of metal against metal filling the air around them as they engaged in another battle. Oliver countered every one of Tommy’s blows, knowing him well enough to deduce his moves before he actually struck. They whirled around like dancers on a stage until their little game came to an abrupt halt by the tip of Oliver’s blade just barely touching Tommy’s chest.

Tommy dropped his own weapon to the ground as he held his arms up in a signal of surrender.

“Alright alright you win,” he grunted.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t good. In fact, Tommy Merlyn was the second best swordfighter among the boys in the slums of their village.

It was just that Oliver was the best. And he knew it too.

He flashed his blinding white teeth at his friend as he put down his own weapon, wiping away a few drops of sweat on his brow.

“To the fair we go!” Oliver announced as he threw his arm around Tommy and they began to walk towards the direction of the town’s current most popular venue.

“But for the record it’s gonna suck and then I’ll never let you hear the end of it I’m just letting you know,” Oliver warned quite seriously.

“Oh you being an asshole is nothing new don’t worry,” Tommy shot back.

Oliver let him have that one. After all, he did get his ass handed to him five times that morning.

 

As much as Oliver hated to admit, it actually wasn’t bad. The aroma of food filled his nose and the sound of laughter assaulted his ears while his eyes were dazzled by all the colours and festivity around him.

And there certainly were a lot of girls.

In fact, before the evening was over, both Oliver and Tommy had two gorgeous ladies on their arms, hanging off their every word as they spun epic tales of violent disputes and encounters with some of the most dangerous men known to man and the way they always won.

As the four of them walked through the grounds, one of the girls declared that she wanted to see the fortune teller.

“Please,” her friend begged with wide eyes upon seeing Oliver’s sceptical expression.

“Why not?” Tommy shrugged. “It might be fun.”

“Yay!” Serena exclaimed before placing a quick kiss on Tommy’s cheek.

“Sure. Let’s go,” Oliver smiled and they all headed towards the fortune teller’s tent.

The moment they stepped in, everything changed. The loud sounds and sights of the fair completely disappeared and it was like another world. Helena grasped Oliver’s hand in the dark and he returned a gentle squeeze. This was all rather unsettling.

Without warning, the small space became dimly lit, revealing a woman with snow white hair sitting at a table with only a crystal ball, the source of the sudden light. She appeared to be over a thousand years old and a young child at the same time. Her silver eyes seemed to bore holes through Oliver, seeing right through him and shimmering as they did so.

“What can I do for you?” she asked, her voice tinkling like bells and bouncing off the corners of the room before landing at their feet, threatening to wrap itself around their legs and pull them all into oblivion.

“We would like to get our fortunes told,” Tommy announced bravely.

The strange woman smiled, resembling a serpent in her action and Oliver was unable to stop the block of ice that was quickly forming in his stomach.

“I’ll see all of you one at a time. I don’t do group sessions,” she announced.

The four of them looked at each other, their nervousness all too evident from their features as they silently wondered what the hell they had gotten themselves into.

“I’ll do you first,” she said, pointing a bony finger at Oliver as her eyes shimmered again.

Everyone froze for a moment and Oliver’s heart began to race.

“Well,” she blinked at the rest of them. “Leave!”

Oliver’s companions scrambled out of the tent, leaving him all alone as he reminded himself that this wasn’t real it was all for show.

The fortune teller grinned again, almost as if she could hear his thoughts.

She held out her hand with a pointed look and Oliver sighed as he placed two gold coins in her palm. The woman inspected them for a few seconds and then seemingly satisfied, dropped them into a relatively invisible pocket in her dress.

“So what would you like to know Oliver?” she asked.

He tried not to look too taken aback at the fact that she knew his name. She just probably recognised him from somewhere. Or something else must have given it away. Oliver didn’t know but he was sure that there was a logical explanation.

It was this woman’s job to make him feel uneasy and feed him lies. He wasn’t going to give her that satisfaction.

“I don’t know,” he shrugged as nonchalantly as possible. “What can you tell me?”

Wordlessly, she beckoned him forward and Oliver ignored the way his heart sped up as he stepped closer to her.

“Hold out your hand,” she commanded and Oliver did as requested.

The fortune teller observed his palm, running her fingers along every inch of skin as if searching for some hidden treasure.

Then she looked up at him and once again, the strange sensation that she could see right through him filled Oliver.

Oliver felt naked as her cold steely eyes pierced his soul and she unravelled each of his secrets without moving a muscle.

“You will have a great love one day Oliver Queen,” she said softly, her voice distant as if she was under some sort of trance. “You will know her the first moment you see her. For she will be like air. Like knowing how to breathe.”

As soon as the last word left her mouth, she blinked, letting out a breath as she broke out of her little spell. But Oliver wasn’t having any of it.

“That’s it?” he questioned annoyed. “That’s what I spent my money on?”

“Watch your tone,” she warned, narrowing her eyes.

“Or what? You’ll place a curse on me?” Oliver mocked.

Anger flashed across her face before she smiled again, like a snake ready to engulf its prey as she leaned back in her chair.

“You want more?” she asked tantalisingly, her silver eyes darkening significantly.

“Actually I’m-”

“No. Why don’t I give you your money’s worth you rude little boy?”

Her voice rose higher and higher as her eyes turned to grey and Oliver wanted to run but he couldn’t move he couldn’t move his feet were nailed to the ground. She stood up and Oliver fell to his knees, vines suddenly growing in his stomach and wrapping themselves around his lungs while an invisible rope tied itself around his neck, choking him and oh god he couldn’t breathe.

He was going to die.

Oliver stared up at the fortune teller who towered above him, his vision blurring as breeze knocked into him from all directions, suffocating him even more.

“You will have a great love one day Oliver Queen. You will know her the moment you see her. For she will be like air. Like knowing how to breathe,” she repeated, her voice ringing in his ears and stabbing his brain.

“And you will be her downfall. When she falls in love with you, she will die. And your entire world will fall apart!” she cursed, her eyes now completely black and her hair swirling in the wind.

Oliver shut his own eyes as all of his senses were violated and all he knew was pain. Raw, unbearable pain. His fingers dug into the cold hard ground as he tried to hold on to something, anything but it was too much it was all too much he couldn’t do it.

Just as he started to beg death to take him into its arms, everything stopped.

The room fell silent.

Oliver slowly opened his eyes only to find himself staring up at the woman who was intent on killing him. She kneeled over him and every cell in Oliver’s body was telling him to run but once again, he couldn’t move.

“You will remember nothing,” she whispered in his ear.

Oliver lay motionless as she placed her lips on his, his cry of agony silenced by her mouth as another sharp ache consumed every corner and crevice of his being.

And then the world faded away.

 

“So how was it?” Tommy asked when Oliver joined them outside.

“The usual. Just another old hag scamming everyone out of their money,” he replied.

“She seems kind of creepy though,” Helena said.

“Is someone scared?” Oliver teased, earning him a punch on the arm.

“Ow!” he exclaimed as his best friend grinned at the sight.

“You deserved that,” he said and Oliver rolled his eyes.

“How about we all go somewhere instead of sticking around to waste time on some creepy old lady?” Tommy suggested.

The girls nodded eagerly and the boys were all too happy as well.

And Oliver never remembered the events that transpired within that tent.


	2. Meet the Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver Queen meets Princess Felicity.

The years passed and Oliver grew from the best swordfighter in the village to one of the best in the entire kingdom.

He made money fighting in rings all over the land and soon Oliver Queen became a household name.

In fact, he had become so popular that one day, the King himself sought him out.

And offered him a job to protect the Princess.

As politely as possible, Oliver had refused. He wasn’t a bodyguard or a babysitter. Sure, his life in the slums was far from grand but he liked what he did. He enjoyed fighting and going out with Tommy and having a different girl in his bed every night. And above all that, he couldn’t abandon his sister.

But then the King told him how much he would be paid. And that was an offer even Oliver couldn’t say no to.

Now, he stood in front of the palace, looking up in awe at the building. He had never seen it up close before. It was even more enormous than he thought.

_This was his new home._

Oliver let out a nervous breath as he silently wondered what on earth he had gotten himself into. He didn’t belong here. He hadn’t even stepped foot into the palace yet and he already felt out of place, sticking out like a sore thumb.

But before any more troubled thoughts could plague his mind, he was interrupted by a man dressed in uniform.

“Good evening,” the stranger greeted. “You must be Oliver. The Princess’ new guard.”

“That I am,” Oliver replied, shaking the man’s outstretched hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleasure is mine. I’ve heard a lot about the best swordsman in Starling.”

“Well I’m not the _best-”_  Oliver began but was cut off midsentence.

“Oh please. Drop the act of modesty. Like I said, I’ve heard a lot about you,” the other man interjected but there was a twinkle in his eye and Oliver couldn’t help but take a liking to him.

“I’m General Diggle by the way,” he continued. “I’m in charge of all the security around here. You included.”

Oliver nodded as he followed the General who had begun walking in the direction of the palace’s entrance.

“I was instructed by the King to take you to your room so you can get settled in,” he said, glancing at Oliver’s little old bag.

It wasn’t like he had a lot of things to bring with him.

“Then I shall take you to meet the Princess and you will be left alone for the rest of the evening to rest. I know the journey can be very tiring. But from tomorrow, you start work.”

Oliver was only halfway listening as he stared around in wonder. He didn’t know how it was possible but the palace seemed even bigger on the inside. His eyes danced over sprawling staircases and dazzling chandeliers. Gigantic painted portraits hanging on every wall. It even smelled elegant. Everything appeared to glitter and there wasn’t a single object that didn’t scream regal excellence. Not a speck of dust was out of place. Oliver had never seen a place so...perfect, in the truest sense of the word.

“Cat got your tongue?” the General joked at Oliver’s wide eyed expression.

“Definitely,” Oliver replied.

Thea would love it here.

The whole reason Oliver had actually gone through with this whole thing was because of his sister. He planned to send half of his monthly payment to Tommy who would use the money to look after her. He trusted his best friend to take care of her. After all, she was like a sister to him too. More than anything else, Oliver wanted her to have a better chance at life than he did.

“Here we are,” General Diggle announced as they stepped in front of a door.

“This will be your room for only tonight. From tomorrow, you move into the quarters designed for the Princess’ guard. It’s a room right next to hers with a connecting door in case she’s ever in danger,” he explained.

“Thank you,” replied Oliver with a polite smile.

“You can freshen up for the while. I’ll be back soon to introduce you to the Princess.”

And then Oliver’s only companion departed, leaving him alone once more with his thoughts.

He haphazardly dropped his bag on the bed before heading to clean himself off a bit. He didn’t bother to even look around the room, much less unpack. He didn’t see the point when he wouldn’t be staying there for more than a night.

Oliver focused his energy on menial tasks to distract himself from the fact that these were his last few free moments before he would be devoting his life to someone else as he waited for the General to return. And in Oliver’s opinion, he couldn’t come back fast enough.

 

When Oliver finally heard a knock on the door, he practically ran to answer it.

“Ready to meet the Princess?” the General asked as soon as Oliver opened up.

“Sure,” he answered, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

Oliver couldn’t stand to be alone right now and was all too grateful for any kind of company he could get.

As General Diggle led the way, Oliver tried to decide on how he should ask the question that had been haunting him ever since the King’s visit.

“So um...what exactly happened to the Princess’ last guard?” Oliver inquired carefully.

General Diggle sighed heavily in response.

“I knew you would ask,” he mumbled.

Oliver continued to look at him, refusing to let him get out of this.

“I don’t know if you know but there’s a group of people who aren’t very happy with the King and would very much like to overthrow him,” he began.

“Yeah everyone knows this. People have been complaining about the King ever since the last one ruled when my mother was a girl. There’s always that group of people,” Oliver said.

“Yes but recently they decided to take action. One night there was an attack on the palace.”

“What? An attack? On the palace? When?”

“A little while ago. We were able to keep it quiet. We didn’t want the people to panic,” General Diggle said in response to Oliver’s bewildered expression and silent questions.

“Anyway they infiltrated the palace and the Princess’ guard was not at his post. They got into her room and...” he trailed off and horror began slowly filling Oliver.

“What happened? Was she alright?” Oliver asked urgently.

“She was fine,” the General reassured. “Physically all she walked away with was a few bruises and scratches. Nothing major.”

“Emotionally?” Oliver inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“She...I don’t know she just hasn’t really been the same since. She’s quieter...more reserved I guess. She would never admit it but I think the whole thing really took a toll on her.”

Oliver suddenly felt a flare of anger rise up within him as he thought of the Princess alone and scared as strange men stormed her room and threatened her life. He didn’t even know her but he knew that it must have been awful. Something like that should have never happened in the first place. Her guard should have been there to protect her.

That was the moment Oliver Queen silently vowed to himself that he would never let anything happen to the Princess. He would never let anyone hurt her.

“And what happened to the guard?” Oliver asked as he remembered his original question.

“The King was livid of course. He absolutely adores his daughter and....well let’s just say that the guard never saw another sunrise.”

A chill ran down Oliver’s spine at his words.

_He had been executed._

A small part of him thought he had gotten what he deserved but he also realised that if he failed the Princess in any way, that would be his fate as well.

General Diggle’s knock on a door abruptly broke Oliver out of his thoughts. He hadn’t even realised that they had stopped.

Oliver straightened his back and tried to appear as regal as he possibly could. He was no longer just a village boy. He was about to meet the Princess. The person he was assigned to protect.

The girl in question opened the door and the second he looked at her, everything changed.

Time came to a halt as the rest of the world faded away and they were the only people to exist. Oliver stared into those eyes that seemed to hold the answer to every question he’d ever asked and all of a sudden he felt as if his life had meaning. She was all of the bright colours in Oliver’s usually dull universe.

A part of him felt as if he knew her even though they had never met before.

Oliver looked at her and for the first time in all of his years, he could breathe.

_She will be like air. Like knowing how to breathe._

Oliver blinked as he was unexpectedly thrown back down to earth again.

“Oliver Queen, this is Princess Felicity, heir to the throne of Starling. Your Highness, this is Oliver Queen, your new personal guard as of tomorrow,” General Diggle introduced them.

“Your Highness,” Oliver bowed, desperately trying to grasp at the moment before him as he pushed aside those strange words that assaulted his mind out of nowhere.

“Please, call me Felicity,” she said. “And you don’t have to do that every time we see each other. Bow, I mean. We’ll be seeing each other a lot and that’ll probably be exhausting. Not that such a trivial act could tire you out I’m sure you have great stamina...because you’re like the best swordsman in the kingdom not for anything else!”

Felicity closed her eyes for a few seconds as she took a breath and Oliver couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his features.

“I’m sorry,” she winced. “I have a tendency to babble. Especially when I’m nervous.”

“I make you nervous?” Oliver smirked as his eyebrows shot up.

“No! Not you. I mean meeting new people in general...it all...makes me kind of..well nervous,” she trailed off lamely, her face quickly turning red.

Oliver had no idea that the Princess was so adorable.

“Well Felicity I’ll see you tomorrow,” Oliver said, still smiling and quite enjoying the way her name rolled off his tongue.

“See you tomorrow,” she replied with a little smile of her own that caused Oliver’s heart to skip a beat.

The instant she shut the door, the General glared at him.

“You cannot like the Princess,” he warned lowly.

“What?”

“I saw the way you were looking at her Oliver.”

“I wasn’t looking at her!”

The General shot him a look that shut him right up.

“I also saw the way that she was looking at _you._ And let me just remind you that if anything happens it will not be her facing certain death but you. So please Oliver, just don’t be stupid alright,” he pleaded.

_She was looking at him?_

“Calm down. Nothing will ever happen. I don’t even like her like that I literally just met her,” Oliver tried his best to convince him.

General Diggle continued to stare at him for a few more seconds before he finally sighed.

“Okay then. Let’s get you back to your room. I’ll send a servant up with dinner and then you can retire for the evening.”

But for the rest of the night, every single one of Oliver’s thoughts found themselves wandering to Felicity. Her golden hair that cascaded past her shoulders like sunlight. Her clear blue eyes that resembled the sky. Her plump pink lips that he bet were as soft as a pillow.

Oliver couldn’t stop thinking about the way he felt when he looked at her. The way sparks shot through his body by merely the sight of her. The way that the earth seemed to stand still when her eyes met his.

But Oliver pushed them all to the back of his mind because she was the freaking Princess for god’s sakes.

So he tossed and turned in a new bed, in his new home as he tried to get some sleep. When he eventually drifted off, it was those strange words that filled his dreams.

_She will be like air. Like knowing how to breathe._

They repeated themselves over and over as Oliver found himself staring at a blonde girl with blue eyes who had a tendency to babble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	3. The Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity slowly start to fall in love.

As the days passed, Oliver followed Felicity everywhere. To breakfast, lunch and dinner. To every room in the palace. To the gardens outside of the palace. Even when she was asleep, he was only a few metres away, in an adjoining room right next to hers.

But Oliver found that he quite liked spending time with the Princess.

He learned her favourite foods and colours and flowers and books. She told him stories about her childhood when they wandered through the gardens. He told her about Thea and Tommy.

Eventually, they formed an easy relationship. They became more than just a Princess and her guard.

_Oliver and Felicity became friends._

Oliver still noticed the way his heart would speed up when he saw her and how the world tended to fade away when he was with her. He was all too aware of the fact that her laughter caused flowers to bloom in his stomach and that he was happiest when he was at her side.

That the only time he could breathe was when he was beside her.

But he pushed all of those thoughts aside, shoving them into a box in the back of his mind and locking the contents away, burning the key.

She only affected him so much because she was beautiful as well as the allure of the fact that she was a princess. That was it. Nothing more.

So Oliver and Felicity walked on a thin line of friendship with their inside jokes and easy laughter and lingering gazes.

But then one night, everything changed.

Oliver was asleep when he heard her cry out.

Immediately, he was on his feet, grabbing his weapon before he stormed into her room, ready to fight off anyone who dared to harm her.

However, upon barging into the Princess’ quarters, he quickly realised that there was no one inside.

“No!” Felicity called out again, her eyes still closed. “Please, don’t.”

She was having a nightmare.

Sighing, Oliver gently dropped his sword. Then, he slowly made his way over to Felicity’s bed.

The blonde’s chest rapidly rose and fell as she battled with the demons that plagued her dreams.

“Felicity,” Oliver murmured softly as he shook her a little.

“Stop,” she mumbled, still in a deep sleep, her breaths coming faster now.

“Felicity!” Oliver repeated, raising his voice and shaking her a bit more as his heart began to pick up its pace.

Suddenly, she jumped up, gasping for air as she struggled to fill her lungs.

“Hey it’s alright Felicity it’s okay,” Oliver said soothingly, desperate to calm her down.

He sat on the edge of the bed, bringing them to almost the same level before he carefully reached out to her. Tenderly, he cradled her cheek, forcing her to look at him.

“Look at me Felicity. You’re safe. It was just a bad dream.”

She stared into his eyes for what felt like eternity as her breaths became normal again.

All of a sudden, Oliver was very aware of how close they were. His heart pounded in his chest as she looked at him like he was the sun in her sky. Electricity flared within him and spread throughout his entire being. He was a goddamn livewire.

“Thank you,” Felicity whispered into the darkness.

“You don’t have to thank me,” Oliver said softly, dropping his arm. “It’s my job to protect you.”

Felicity didn’t respond, a pained look crossing her features and Oliver guessed that she was thinking about someone else whose job it had been to protect her. Someone who had failed.

“Was it about the attack?” Oliver asked, because he didn’t really know a lot about this stuff but he knew that she needed to talk about it. “The nightmare?”

“Yeah,” Felicity replied quietly after a moment. “I used to get them a lot in the beginning, right after it happened. They stopped after a while. Or at least I thought they did.”

She trailed off, a faraway look on her face and Oliver wished he could follow her to whatever hellish place her mind had carried her off to and destroy every horror that plagued her.

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” Oliver declared, voicing the silent vow he had made to himself on his first day at the palace. “Ever. I promise.”

Felicity gazed at him with glassy eyes and by her expression, he knew she believed him. She had faith in him.

Without warning, Felicity leaned her head against Oliver, burying her face in his chest as if she could find a sanctuary to all her worries in him. Oliver wrapped his arms around her, the action so natural that he didn’t even need to think about it despite the fact that they had never been this close before.

Oliver always got the strange sensation that he knew her. Really knew her, like the back of his hand.

Maybe in another life, they had met before. Maybe his soul recognised hers.

Quickly, he shook that thought away. It was stupid. He clearly needed some sleep.

As if in response to his brain, Oliver’s eyes slowly fell shut with him still holding Felicity. He could feel her heart beating steady against him and could tell that she had already fallen asleep. A part of him wanted to stay awake, longing to not miss a moment of having Felicity with him like this.

With Felicity in his arms, Oliver could breathe once more.

_She will be like air. Like knowing how to breathe._

Oliver eventually drifted off with those same words that had been nagging him for days once again filling his mind.

That night, with Felicity clutching Oliver as if he was her lifeline and Oliver holding on to her as if he never wanted to let her go, something shifted between them. The thin line of friendship became blurred.

That was the moment Oliver and Felicity slowly began to fall in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was kinda short but anyway as usual thanks for reading!


	4. Just A Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity's feelings continue to escalate.

The subtle change in Oliver and Felicity’s relationship wasn’t noticeable to anyone but them.

It was the little things. The way they both stared at each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking and the seemingly innocent touches on shoulders and arms that lingered for a second too long to be called friendly. It was the way they said each other’s name, as if it was the most important word in every language.

But they knew.

From the moment Oliver opened his eyes the morning after Felicity’s nightmare to find the Princess still in his arms, he knew. When she gazed at him drowsily as if he was the reason the sun rose every morning, he became aware that she knew too.

She had flashed him a sleepy, sleepy smile. And he returned it.

After all, Oliver and Felicity didn’t need words.

No matter how hard they both tried to deny it at first because it would be so much easier that way, the truth was staring them both in the face, ultimately unavoidable.

They were falling in love.

But neither one of them acted on their feelings, knowing how dangerous it would be. Hell, for Oliver it even meant death.

So they continued to burn quietly as the days passed, desperately trying to dim any light within themselves that would give them away as they bottled up every emotion.

But on one night, it overflowed, too much to be contained and they were up to their elbows in this strange new feeling called love that would eventually be their downfall.

Oliver stared at himself in the mirror, frowning at his reflection as a part of him whispered that he looked ridiculous.

It was the night of the ball held in the King’s honour for his birthday. That meant that Oliver was forced to get dressed up.

Taking one last look at himself, he sighed exasperatedly before giving up and making his way outside to wait for Felicity.

Oliver couldn’t wait for this to be over.

Felicity, on the other hand was extremely excited for the whole thing. She had barely been able to shut up about it all week but honestly, Oliver didn’t mind.

He adored the way Felicity’s eyes would light up whenever she talked about something she loved. Oliver could listen to her for hours and never get tired.

Suddenly, her door opened and out stepped the Princess herself.

And all of the breath was stolen from Oliver’s lungs.

She was stunning.

Her golden hair cascaded in soft waves like a shimmering waterfall down her shoulders. Her eyes were lined with gold and her lips were red tonight. Her strapless dress matched her mouth and the whole thing was so unbelievably _her._ She wasn’t adorned in thousands of gems like all of the other women would be but she glittered more than anyone ever could.

She was all seven wonders of his world.

The air was heavy between them as Oliver wordlessly offered her his arm, not trusting himself to speak, before they made their way downstairs.

Everything was a blur to him as they walked down those grand staircases with every pair of eyes in the room on them. He then presented the Princess to her father who was waiting for her.

He watched as the young blonde wrapped her arms around him and told him happy birthday, her eyes shining.

He watched along with everyone else as she glided around the ballroom, greeting people of importance because Felicity herself seemed to shine.

Then he watched as suitor after suitor held out their hands and asked her to dance. He watched her say yes to each of them, the King looking on proudly.

Now he watched as some tall handsome eligible bachelor swept her off her feet. He watched him twirl her around until she was breathless with reddened cheeks and she laughed at something he said and ugly jealousy was gnawing at Oliver and threatening to eat him alive.

He clenched his hands into fists as he reminded himself to breathe and resisted every urge to pummel the man to the floor.

He had no right to feel that way.

But it wasn’t helping that the sleazy bastard was staring at her like she was a piece of meat and when his hand travelled a little too low on her back, Oliver was seeing red.

“I warned you to not like the Princess like that. So what do you go and do? You stupidly fall in love with her,” a voice broke him out of his thoughts which had been growing more violent by the second.

“What?” Oliver blinked at Diggle, his heart beginning to pound.

“I’m not blind Oliver,” he rolled his eyes. “And I know both of you better that you think.”

Oliver didn’t respond, staring straight ahead as his face started heating up.

“Since that first day I could cut the tension between you two with a knife,” he mumbled.

“You do know that nothing can happen right?” the General asked when Oliver still didn’t say anything.

“Yes Digg I know,” he snapped.

His only real friend besides Felicity raised his eyebrows and Oliver sighed.

“I’m sorry,” he apologised. “But no I haven’t acted on my feelings and I don’t plan to.”

The General nodded approvingly.

“It’s for the best,” he said, his expression softening.

Oliver knew that. He understood that. But it didn’t make him feel any better.

Why did he have to fall for the one person in the world that he could never have?

Oliver almost didn’t notice when Digg left his side, focusing on Felicity again. She was speaking to her father and Oliver was significantly happier that tall handsome guy was nowhere in sight.

Suddenly spotting him, Felicity began walking towards Oliver, flashing him a smile.

All of the tension immediately left his body and he sent her a smile of his own. The one that he reserved just for her.

“Hi,” she said when she was right next to him.

“Hi,” Oliver replied, butterflies fluttering about in his stomach.

“Would you like to dance?” she asked, her eyes twinkling brighter than all of the stars in the sky.

“Aren’t I supposed to ask you that?”

“Well then why don’t you?”

“Your Highness would you do me the utmost pleasure of being my partner in this dance?” Oliver did his best impression of all of the rich snobs at this place but was unable to keep the grin off his face.

Felicity snorted as she took his arm and they walked out on to the dance floor.

“Don’t ever do that again,” she told him.

“Why?” he asked, placing his hands on her waist as she wrapped hers around his neck.

“Because you sound like everyone else,” she replied as they slowly began to move.

“You don’t like that?”

“No. I like my one and only Oliver Queen.”

Oliver’s heart did flip flops at her soft words.

He swiftly spun her around so that her back was against his front, his fingers splayed out on her stomach. She gasped at the sudden movement as she just barely leaned even closer against him.

“And I like my one and only Felicity,” he whispered, his lips only inches away from her ear.

Quickly, before anyone could notice them, he twirled her around so that she was facing him again.

Felicity’s eyes darkened, swirling with an emotion he couldn’t put his finger on. Her lips were slightly parted and it took all of his will power to not lean in and kiss her senseless.

Abruptly, she pulled away from him, hurriedly walking away with no explanation.

Oliver blinked for a second, momentarily stunned before he followed her out on the balcony.

“Felicity,” he called out gently as he stepped into the cool air.

She refused to turn around and worry began slowly filling Oliver.

“Felicity what’s wrong?” he pleaded.

She swivelled on her heels and Oliver instantly noticed the wetness on her cheeks.

“I need you to leave,” she whispered.

“What? Why? Talk to me Felicity,” Oliver begged as he tried to conceal the hurt in his eyes.

“I have feelings for you Oliver!” she blurted out. “And I know that you have feelings for me too. But we can’t do anything about it because it’s too dangerous and because there’s no point because one day I’ll have to marry some Prince because that’s the way the world works and I thought I would be happy as long as I had you in my life, I _am_ but I want more Oliver. And it’s killing me. Because we can’t have that.”

“Felicity,” Oliver said tenderly, taking a step towards her.

Just four syllables but he always managed to convey so much more. Right then he spoke her name like a prayer, with the underlying message of three little words that held a weight that was too much for both their shoulders. Those three little words would break them.

But she understood anyway.

“No,” she rasped, shaking her head but she didn’t move when Oliver continued closer.

He stopped when he was mere millimetres away from her. And slowly, he raised his arm, wiping away the tears from her face. Felicity let her eyes fall shut for just a second as she leaned into his touch.

“We can’t,” she said quietly as she opened her eyes and Oliver let his arm drop. “This is treason. My father could have you killed.”

“What if I told you that I would rather die with your taste still on my lips than to live a thousand years without knowing what kissing you felt like?” he asked, their gazes locked.

Felicity let out a shaky breath at his proclamation.

“Just once,” she relented, already beginning to lean in.

“Just once,” Oliver repeated as he started to close the rest of the distance.

But then he paused, a part of him suddenly unsure if this was what she really wanted. What if she regretted it afterwards? What if she regretted _him_?

However, before he could doubt himself even further, Felicity captured his lips with hers and every thought was wiped from his brain as all he knew was her.

One of his hands tangled in her hair while the other wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer.

Felicity kissed him and every single moment dropped dead because they would never be able to compare to this one. The entire world stood still just for them because no one else in the whole goddamn universe mattered right then. Fireworks exploded in his chest as pure happiness ran through his veins and he felt as if he had drunk all of the stars in the sky. He felt alive.

Oliver kissed Felicity and all of his dreams came true.

Oliver kissed Felicity and he could breathe.

_She will be like air. Like knowing how to breathe._

They pulled away and Oliver shook his head at the strange words from his dreams, quickly chasing them away.

Felicity giggled and Oliver was grinning like an idiot himself but he couldn’t help it if he was floating on a cloud.

Her eyes sparkled like champagne and Oliver wanted to drown in it.

He wanted to drown himself in her.

Everything was absolutely perfect.

All of a sudden, Felicity began to cough, loud hacking sounds shattering the quiet night.

“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.

“I’m fine,” she assured him when she finally caught her breath. “I’m probably just getting a cold or something I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Neither of them had any idea how wrong she was.

But Oliver only smiled in response, not worrying at all because of course it was just a cold. What else could it be?

Oliver and Felicity didn’t know how long they spent on the balcony, wrapped up in each other’s arms and completely oblivious to the world around them. After all, this was a moment that would never occur again. So they savoured every minute.

But they should have paid attention. Because the clock was ticking for them. And time was already beginning to run out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know when I'll post again because my exam results come out tonight and I may fall off the earth for a little while. Anyway hoped you all liked this part and thank you for reading! :)


	5. It Ended With Three Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver finally remembers the curse. But is it too late?

It wasn’t long before Felicity realised that she wasn’t sick with just a cold. This was something different. Something strange. Something deadly.

The best doctors in the kingdom all came to see her but not one of them had the faintest idea of what was wrong with her. They had never seen anything quite like this.

Felicity underwent every treatment possibly known but nothing helped. It was futile. It was only a matter of time before she drew her last breath.

The King spent most of his time at his daughter’s side, refusing to give up hope. He still believed that she would eventually recover. He had to. He couldn’t afford to think any other way or he might as well have crumbled right there.

But when the King wasn’t watching over Felicity, Oliver was.

It damn near killed him to see her withering away, growing worse with each passing day but he put on a smile just for her and they both pretended that everything was going to be alright.

However, as Felicity’s end drew nearer, it became harder to ignore the inevitable.

Oliver was laying next to Felicity in her bed, holding her as she tried once more to find a sanctuary in him.  They spent most of their days like this. Oliver wished he could spend forever like this. But a forever wasn’t even in the cards for her anymore.

“I’m scared Oliver,” Felicity confessed softly, breaking the comfortable blanket of silence. “I don’t want to die.”

Oliver pulled her closer, as if he held her tightly enough, she would be forced to stay there with him.

Oliver once promised that he would never let anything happen to her. But even he wasn’t powerful enough to fight off death.

“I know,” Oliver said quietly because what was he supposed to say?

He couldn’t lie and tell her that she would be okay. They both knew the truth.

“I’m scared too,” he admitted instead. “I’m scared of losing you. I’m scared of a life without you.”

The words hung heavy in the air as Felicity burrowed her face into Oliver’s chest and they both desperately clutched each other, neither of them strong enough to bear the weight of the other on their shoulder.

They grasped at each other, both of them falling and shattering into a million pieces on the cold hard floor as they finally let out the tears that they had been holding in for so long.

In each other’s arms, Oliver and Felicity finally broke.

 

It was on that night that Oliver had the dream.

No, not a dream. A memory.

_He was fifteen years old and at the village fair, dragged by Tommy. They met some girls and one of them wanted to see the fortune teller. They walked inside the tent and found a creepy woman who declared that she would do Oliver first and chased the rest of them out._

Oliver knew this day. He remembered that day.

But then his memory changed.

_He saw the woman transform into something else, her eyes turning black and her voice menacing. She grew and grew until she became a giant. She waved her hand and Oliver fell, unable to breathe or move as pain shot through his body._

_And then she cursed him._

_“You will have a great love one day Oliver Queen. You will know her the moment you see her. For she will be like air. Like knowing how to breathe.”_

The strange words that had been haunting him for weeks.

They finally had a source. Oliver finally knew where they came from. He wasn’t slowly going insane.

_“And you will be her downfall,” the witch’s voice continued to ring in his ears. “When she falls in love with you, she will die. And your whole world will fall apart!”_

_Oliver watched as the woman knelt down beside his younger self and whispered that he would remember nothing. He stood helpless as she placed a kiss on him, sealing the deal._

Oliver jumped up, gasping for air as he looked wildly around the room, his heart pounding in his chest.

He was home. At the palace. It was just a dream.

Only it wasn’t.

Oliver knew in his bones that everything from the nightmare was true. He didn’t know how but he could feel it.

His mind raced as he tried to understand everything.

The words from the dream echoed in brain.

_When she falls in love with you, she will die._

Felicity was dying because of him.

He needed to leave.

Felicity’s best chance at survival would be if he was gone. Eventually, her feelings would fade away and she would recover. It was the only thing he could do to save her.

Oliver didn’t even stop to think about it as he began throwing his stuff into his bag. He wasted no time. He had to get out of there as soon as possible.

He refused to think about what leaving Felicity behind would do to him. Hell, it would destroy him.

But this was about her, not him. Oliver would gladly give up seeing her again if it meant that she would live.

Felicity’s life was more precious to him than his own.

As soon as he had finished packing, he headed out the door, leaving his bag on the bed.

He couldn’t leave Felicity alone.

So he knocked on the door of another guard whose room was at the end of this floor and begged him quietly to stand guard outside the Princess’ room for a while.

He said he just needed some air. He insisted that everything was fine when the guard gave him strange looks and asked him if he was alright.

But in the end, he complied.

And Oliver snuck back in his own room for his things before he made a run for it.

He almost made it. Oliver was so close to the palace’s main doors.

He’d been running through the halls like a madman, desperate to make it out before anyone noticed.

And then Digg stepped in front of him.

“Oliver. What are you doing out here?” he asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

But then he spotted the bag on Oliver’s shoulder, the same one from when he first came to the palace. Recognition flashed across his features.

“Digg wait let me explain,” Oliver began but his friend shook his head, looking at him with sorrowful eyes.

“Guards!” Diggle called out, the hurt of betrayal written on his features.

“No Digg please!” Oliver pleaded as two men appeared at his side, seizing him by the arms.

“Don’t make this harder than it already is,” he said softly, his words drenched in sadness.

“Take him to the King,” he ordered the guards.

There was nothing Oliver could do as he was dragged towards the King’s private quarters. He didn’t even try to fight. It was no use.

Oliver couldn’t be mad at Diggle. After all, he was just doing his job. He had seen how hurt he had been.

Before long, Oliver was thrown into a room he had never been in before. It was off limits to everyone besides the King’s personal guards, his daughter and the General.

The King himself was at his desk, letters and other papers spread out before him.

“What is the meaning of this?” he asked harshly upon the sudden intrusion.

“He was trying to leave the palace,” Digg said, nodding towards Oliver.

“Abandoning the Princess is treason,” the King said roughly.

“I know Your Majesty,” Oliver said quickly, his voice shaking. “But if you could please just let me explain.”

“Alright,” the King said after a moment. “Explain.”

“I’m the reason the Princess is dying,” Oliver blurted out.

“What?” the King roared. “Did you poison her?”

“No!” Oliver exclaimed.

He probably shouldn’t have started off with that.

“When I was fifteen I went to the fair that was in our village,” Oliver began as the King glared at him with fire in his eyes. “I went to see a fortune teller. But I was a rude little brat and she cursed me. She told me that I would have a great love one day but that I would be her downfall. That she would die when she falls in love with me.”

Oliver could barely breathe as he watched the King take in everything he had just said.

“So Felicity loves you?” the King finally spoke.

“She has feelings for me,” Oliver said slowly. “I don’t think it can be love yet if she’s still alive.”

“And you?”

“I..I have feelings for her too,” Oliver admitted tentatively.

“And you let this go on knowing that you were cursed?”

“No!” Oliver objected. “The fortune teller made me forget. I only just remembered. In a dream. But I know it’s real. As soon as I realised what was happening I tried to leave.”

“I’m supposed to have you killed for your affections towards my daughter,” the King sighed. “You are aware of that?”

“Yes. And you know what go ahead and kill me I don’t care. If I’m gone then maybe Felicity’s feelings will fade away and she’ll live. I don’t care what happens to me as long as she’s okay,” Oliver declared.

The King stared at him, at this bold brave young man who was so much more than he had originally believed.

“You really love her don’t you?” the King asked, his expression softening, letting Oliver glimpse the man beneath the crown, the one that Felicity adored.

“Yes your Majesty,” Oliver replied quietly. “I do.”

The King opened his mouth but Oliver would never find out what he had been about to say.

Before he could speak, a guard barged in, a frantic look on his face.

“The palace is under attack!” he announced breathlessly.

In an instant, every guard in the room surrounded the King, their mission to get him to safety.

Every guard except Oliver.

“Felicity,” he whispered, the only person on his mind.

And then he began racing towards her room.

Oliver stopped dead in his tracks for a second as he was met with the sight of the guard he had asked to watch over Felicity sprawled out bloody and lifeless outside her door.

He grabbed the sword laying beside him and without dwelling a moment more, Oliver dashed inside, his heart racing in fear.

As he entered, he saw a dark shadow standing over Felicity’s bed, holding a sword directly over her chest as he prepared to drive it through her heart.

“No!” Oliver burst out without even thinking.

The man swivelled around and immediately lunged at him. But Oliver was prepared. He deflected his attack and soon the men began to battle in the middle of the room. The sharp sound of metal against metal filled the night and rang in Oliver’s ears. This man was fast. He was good. Oliver was so busy trying to avoid getting hit that he wasn’t even able to strike at him.

Suddenly, he felt a raw harsh pain in his stomach as the sound of metal on skin reached his ears.

_He had been stabbed._

His opponent grinned evilly, pausing for just a split second before finishing him off as he savoured the moment.

But a split second was all Oliver needed.

Before the man could even blink, Oliver raised his blade and slit his throat.

His eyes widened in surprise before he fell to the floor, dead.

Silence filled the space as Oliver looked down at where blood was spreading on his shirt, staining the material.

“Oliver?” Felicity whispered shakily.

He immediately glanced up to find her sitting in bed, her arms wrapped around herself as she wore a fearful expression.

Oliver was at her side in two seconds.

“It’s alright Felicity,” he assured her, ignoring the searing pain in his lower abdomen. “Everything’s alright. I just need to get you to a safe place. Can you walk?”

Wordlessly, she nodded.

And then for the third time that night, Oliver was running through the halls. Or at least trying to. It was hard to walk, much less run with the gaping wound in his stomach, not to mention a sick, frail Felicity.

Oliver supported her as they headed in the direction of the nearest panic room. Or maybe she was supporting him. Who knew anymore?

Thankfully, they made it without any other encounters, through sheer force of will. Honestly, they both should have dropped down a while ago. Oliver had no idea what they would have done in their state if they had bumped into someone else.

As soon as they entered the panic room, both Oliver and Felicity collapsed on the floor, each of them out of breath and struggling for air in their lungs.

“You’re hurt,” Felicity said suddenly, noticing for the first time just how badly he had been injured.

Blood had spread across most of his shirt and the stain only kept growing larger.

“It’s nothing,” Oliver reassured even though they both knew that was a lie.

It was obvious that he couldn’t survive from such a wound.

“There has to be some medical supplies in here or something,” Felicity said, not hearing him as she got up and began to search through the room.

But there was nothing. The small space itself was pretty bare, the only essentials there being water and some preserved food.

“Felicity,” Oliver called softly as she rifled through cans of food as if something would magically appear.

She looked at him with tear filled eyes as he gently shook his head.

It was hopeless.

He was going to die.

Felicity sat down beside him, finally admitting defeat as sobs racked through her body. She held on to him as if she never planned on letting him go and he clutched her like he was drowning and she was the only thing that could save him.

As he grasped at the woman he loved, his great love, his world began slowly fading away. He could feel his heartbeat slowing down and it became harder and harder to breathe, each breath he took more laboured than the last.

But Oliver wasn’t afraid. In fact, a part of him was relieved.

Him dying meant that Felicity’s feelings for him would eventually dull, and one day disappear completely. It meant that she would live. And that was the only thing that mattered to Oliver.

“Oliver,” Felicity whispered, staring at him with her tearstained face.

She sounded as if she was underwater.

Slowly, he raised his hand and tenderly wiped away the tears from her cheeks, the way he always did.

His hand felt so heavy.

“It’ll be okay,” he managed to mumble, flashing her one last weak wobbly smile.

But even that took so much effort.

“Oliver I love you,” she whispered.

And the entire universe held its breath.

Then it all came crashing down.

“No!” Oliver exclaimed.

As soon as the last word dropped from Felicity’s lips, her eyes widened in fear as she desperately reached for her throat.

_She couldn’t breathe._

“Felicity!” Oliver called out, holding her against him as she frantically struggled for air but it was hopeless.

She gasped and gasped and there was nothing Oliver could do but helplessly watch as he cradled her in his arms.

Tears streamed down Oliver’s face as she looked at him with those beautiful blue eyes that Oliver always longed to drown in. Those eyes that sparkled with so much life but was quickly beginning to dim.

And with the last ounce of her strength, she reached up and caressed Oliver’s face, wiping away his tears this time.

“Felicity I love you too,” Oliver sobbed.

Then the final bit of light in her eyes faded as she drew her last breath, Oliver’s proclamation being the last words the Princess would ever hear.

“No!” Oliver screamed as her arm dropped beside her and her eyes fell shut forever.

“Felicity please! Wake up! Open your eyes Felicity please,” Oliver begged and begged but it was no use.

She couldn’t hear him anymore.

The Princess was dead.

And his entire world fell apart.

The air was sucked from his lungs and the room began to fade away as he pleaded and cried.

He couldn’t breathe. She was gone and he couldn’t breathe.

His heart shattered in his chest and the shards stabbed him all over his body, this pain a thousand times worse than when a sword pierced his skin.

Oliver’s heart finally stopped beating with him still holding Felicity.

And there they lay, a Princess and her guard who made the mistake of falling in love. Just a boy and girl who paid the ultimate price.

Maybe in another life, they could have had it all.

Maybe in some other universe out there, Oliver and Felicity lay in bed together, holding each other but alive and well and happy.

Maybe somewhere out there they made it.

But in this life, in this story, they ended in tragedy. A great love that was severed all too soon.

Or maybe in death they live on together, unable to be separated even then. Maybe they were able to find their happy ending, away from titles and expectations and prying eyes of the world.

Maybe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so first please don't kill me!!! I procrastinated posting this because it's a goddamn mess I even wrote another ending but I ended up just going with this one. I'm not very happy over the way it ended either but I honestly couldn't see it turning out well. I'm sorry. Thanks for reading and sticking by this mess. I love you guys.


	6. Alternative Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The other ending I wrote.

The man swivelled around and immediately lunged at him. But Oliver was prepared. He deflected his attack and soon the men began to battle in the middle of the room. The sharp sound of metal against metal filled the night and rang in Oliver’s ears. This man was fast. He was good. Oliver was so busy trying to avoid getting hit that he wasn’t even able to strike at him.

Finally, their dance came to an end when Oliver eventually saw an opening, plunging his sword straight through the man’s throat.

His eyes widened in surprise as blood gushed from his neck before he fell to the floor, dead.

Silence filled the space as Oliver looked down at the crumpled body of the man he just killed.

“Oliver?” Felicity whispered shakily.

He immediately glanced up to find her sitting in bed, her arms wrapped around herself as she wore a fearful expression.

Oliver was at her side in two seconds.

“It’s alright Felicity,” he assured her.  “Everything’s alright. I just need to get you to a safe place.”

Wordlessly, he scooped her up into his arms, careful to be as gentle as possible.

And then for the third time that night, Oliver was running through the halls, heading in the direction of the nearest panic room.

Thankfully, they made it without any other encounters. Oliver had no idea what they would have done if they had bumped into someone else with him carrying the Princess.

As soon as they entered the panic room, Oliver slowly set her down, both of them breathing heavily as they struggled to fill their lungs with air.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice filled with concern as he took in her tired eyes and pale face.

“I’m fine,” she answered with a weak smile. “Well as fine as I can be these days.”

Oliver’s stomach knotted at her words because while she had merely been trying to make a joke, he now knew the real reason she was suffering. It was all his fault.

Suddenly, Felicity began to cough, the loud sound rattling off the walls as her eyes became watery and her expression twisted with pain.

Oliver pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her as her body shook and her lips trembled.

His heart broke as he helplessly watched her, unable to do anything.

But he still had every intention of going far away from the palace.

Felicity was going to live.

When her coughing fit finally subsided, Felicity rested her head against his chest, taking deep breaths.

“Thank you,” she said when she eventually found her voice. “For saving me.”

“I once promised that I would never let anything happen to you,” Oliver replied softly.

“But you can’t save me from everything,” Felicity whispered, tears welling in her eyes.

“Felicity-” Oliver began, a part of him ready to tell her the truth even though he knew it would be better to have her hate him once he disappeared.

 But he couldn’t stand the hopeless look on her face. He needed her to know.

She wasn’t going to die. Not if he could help it.

However, she cut him off before he could even explain a thing.

“Oliver,” she said quietly, shaking her head because she didn’t want to be filled with false hope.

Sighing, she closed her eyes as she buried her face in his chest, trying to escape the world.

“Can you just hold me?” she mumbled, her voice muffled.

So Oliver did just that. He wrapped his arms tighter around the blonde as he lost himself in her. In the woman with the bright eyes that refused to dim even now and who sparkled more than a thousand jewels.

He stole a few moments with her, his last moments with her and he let himself pretend that he was just a boy and she was just a girl. That they were no more than two people in love. That they had a chance. That they had a future.

And then the imaginary life he built in his head erupted.

“Oliver,” Felicity said softly, raising her head to look at him. “I love you.”

The entire universe held its breath.

Then it all came crashing down.

“No!” Oliver exclaimed.

As soon as the last word dropped from Felicity’s lips, her eyes widened in fear as she desperately reached for her throat.

_She couldn’t breathe._

“Felicity!” Oliver called out, holding her against him as she frantically struggled for air but it was hopeless.

She gasped and gasped and there was nothing Oliver could do but helplessly watch as he cradled her in his arms.

Tears streamed down Oliver’s face as she stared at him with those beautiful blue eyes that Oliver always longed to drown in.

And with the last ounce of her strength, she reached up and caressed Oliver’s face, wiping away his tears.

“Felicity I love you too,” Oliver sobbed.

Then the final bit of light in her eyes faded as she drew her last breath, Oliver’s proclamation being the last words the Princess would ever hear.

“No!” Oliver screamed as her arm dropped beside her and her eyes fell shut forever.

“Felicity please! Wake up! Open your eyes please Felicity,” Oliver begged and begged but it was no use.

She couldn’t hear him anymore.

The Princess was dead.

And his entire world fell apart.

The air was sucked from his lungs as an invisible fist choked him and the room began to fade away as he pleaded and cried.

He couldn’t breathe. She was gone and he couldn’t breathe.

His heart shattered in his chest and the shards stabbed him all over his body, causing him to bleed out on the floor.

“Felicity please,” he whispered, clutching her body against him as he soaked her golden hair in tears.

They were so close. She almost made it. She would have made it.

But she loved him and for that she paid the ultimate price.

Oliver didn’t know how long it was before The General found them, him still holding on to the woman he loved, the tears never ceasing.

Everything after was a blur. He could faintly remember the horrified look on Diggle’s face and the King’s scream of agony when he found himself staring at his daughter’s lifeless body.

He remembered they had to pry him away from her.

He remembered trying to fight them all.

He remembered wishing with every fibre of his being that the King would just have him killed so he could join Felicity in death. Because nothing hurt more than a life without her.

But he was merely banished from the kingdom, the King not having the strength to deal with anybody in his grief least of all him.

So now Oliver Queen aimlessly wandered the outskirts of Starling, struggling to make it through his days as he continued to love a dead girl. He knew his sister had been desperately trying to contact him and so was Tommy but he couldn’t face either of them. Not after what he had done.

He killed the Princess.

He had once promised that he would never let anything happen to her but it was a promise he couldn’t keep.

He had failed her.

When Oliver was fifteen years old, it was predicted that he would have a great love. That he would know her when he saw her. Because she would be like air. Like knowing how to breathe.

The premonition was right.

But Oliver didn’t know how to breathe in a world with no air. He didn’t know how to live without his Felicity.

He was never going to be okay again.

Because the day that Felicity died, he died too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to post the other ending I wrote because I didn't spend time on it for nothing. And you guys can decide which one you prefer and which one you'll rather go with. Anyway, I also wanted to say thank you for all the kind words on the last chapter, even the people who called me evil and said I made them cry (I'm sorry I really am) just thank you so much for the feedback. I really appreciate it!

**Author's Note:**

> This is something a little different but I hope everyone likes it! Thank you for reading and reviews are always appreciated :)


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